Bridge and bridge guard or railing.



No. 845,897. PATENTED MAR.'5, 1907.

' s. RICHARDSON.

BRIDGE AND BRIDGE GUARD 0R RAILING.

. APPLICATION FILED A-UG.29.1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

BRIDGE AND BRIDGE GUARD OR RAILING- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March '5, 1907.

Application filed August 29,1906. Serial No. 332,532.

To all whom, it WWI/y concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL RIoHARDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulare city, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bridges and Bridge Guards or Railings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bridges; and its object is to provide a bridge having railings adapted to be swung Outward and downward, so as to permit threshing-machines, headers, and other wide farm machinery to readily pass over the bridge Without the necessity of removing the railings, as has heretofore been the case except where very large bridges are constructed.

With these and other objects in view the invention. consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in. the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridge constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section therethrough, certain of said railings being shown in lowered position.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 1 indicates the piles or uprights supporting the bridge, said uprights being connected by suitable transverse beams 2 and longitudinal beams 3, on which is fastened the floor 4 of the bridge. At desired intervals arms 5 are extended laterally from the side beams 3, said arms being preferably reinforced by means of brace-strips 6, extending longitudinally thereunder. Connected to the side beams 3 are side panels 7, consisting of a desired number of boards or rails 8, connected to transverse strips 9, these panels being fastened to the side beams 23 by means of heavy hinges 10. The panels are of course arranged close together and throughout the length of the bridge at both sides thereof, and each panel has a plurality of rods 11 connected to its upper portion by means of eyes or staples 12. These rods have hooks 13 at their free ends, which are adapted whenthe panels are in upright or vertical positions to engage eyes or staples 14, secured upon the laterally-extending arms 5. When the rods are engaging these eyes 14, the panels 7 are maintained in upright positions and constitute efiicient side rails for the bridge, and therefore ordinary vehicles can be drawn over the bridge with. perfect safety. When, however, machines of more than ordinary widthsuc-h as threshing-machines, headers, &c.- are to be taken across the bridge, it will not be necessary, as ordinarily, to entirely remove the sides of the bridge ,but instead the rods 11 are disengaged from the eyeslt and the panel 7 swung outward onto the arms, as shown. in Fig. 2. Said.machin ery can then readily pass over the bridge without being hindered by the railings, and said railings can afterward be returned to their normal or upright positions. Instead of being compelled to construct broad bridges in agricultural districts, so as to permit agricultural machines to readily pass over them, the expense of constructing the bridges can be materially reduced by building structures such as herein. described and which are much narrower than ordinary bridges having railings and of sufficient size to permit the move ment of wide agricultural machines thereover. 1

The preferred form of the invention has been set forthin the foregoing description; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a bridge, the combination with fixed supports and a floor secured thereon; of side panels movably connected to the floor, and means for holding the side panels in upright positions.

2. The combination with a bridge; of side panels movably connected thereto, means for holding said panels in upright positions, and means for holding the panels in lowered, laterally-extended positions.

3. The combination with a bridge and laterally-extending arms thereon; of side panels movably connected to the bridge and ada ted to rest upon the arms, and means for olding the panels in raised positions.

4. The combination with a bridge having laterally-extending arms; of side panels hinged to the bridge and adapted to be supported in lowered. positions by the arms, and means engaging the panels and arms for holding the panels in upright positions.

5. The combination with a brid e having laterally-extending arms; of si e panels hinged to the bridge and adapted when lowered to rest upon the arms, and-hooked rods 5 connected to the panels and detachably secured to the arms to hold the panels in upright positions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SAMUEL RICHARDSON.

Witnesses O. S. SOHOENEMANN, M. C. ZUMWAL'I. 

